Stalking

Today, will be my first day in St. Croix. I plan to do a little checking out of the Beast, and the rest of the bike course as well. Some might call this kind of behaviour before a big date pathological. To be fair to the Beast, I will give him a little information on myself. Just to even the playing field. Here are the things that he needs to know about me for us to have a successful encounter.
1- I like to start out slow and build into the relationship.
2- The faster he lets me be on top, the more I will like him.
3-I know that he is not the only bump in the road, I may save something for the other fellas.
4-I have never ridden on the left side of the road before, so I may get on his wrong side early on.
5-I didn't get a new outfit for the date, didn't want to put too much pressure on him.
6-I'm okay if he is mean to other girls but nice to me, especially if they are 40-44.
7-I am not a lush, but a few drinks on our date would be nice, even nicer if I can catch my breath for a sip.
8-I would be impressed if he had a spa day and smoothed out his surface, nice new blacktop comes to mind.
9-I may dance with him, but I am going home with the guy who brung me!
10-I have the protection and the lube.

Yes, that is a 29 tooth cog!

Now I have leveled the playing field a little and maybe the Beast won't be filing a restraining order on me for stalking him. Believe me, I want to spend as little time with him as possible. Although, I am sure he is very nice and handsome;)

Travelling Light

Today is travel day. ALL DAY. It takes a long time to get from San Diego to St Croix. Travelling to a race means that I need to pack my bike. I haven't done that in a long time, I have driven to all my races in recent years. I am fine with packing the bike. The part I don't like is how much the airline charges to take a bike, have you seen some peoples carry on luggage lately, not much smaller than my bike case, I swear! Mostly, what I am not fond of when taking a bike to the airport is the attention it draws. Standing in line to check in, I am sure to get many puzzled looks. People have no idea why I have such a large piece of luggage. I usually answer their questions truthfully and tell them it is a bicycle. I might even say a racing bike. Hey, they don't know it is a bike, you think they can tell I'm not a pro?! Occasionally, I get tired of the whispering and consulting amongst the nosy people (and I mean nosy in the nicest way possible, maybe they are part of homeland security) and I have been known to say it is my makeup case. You should have seen that guys face drop. Have a look for yourself, and send me your ideas on what I can say when the inevitable question arises. I'll use all ideas and let you know what kind of response I get.

Bike Case

Since I haven't shared a picture of Tana lately, and I know my readers rely on it, here is a picture of her heading out on her vacation at camp. Notice, she travels much lighter than me.

Tana on her way to a week at camp

Hot and Steamy

Now that I am within a week of the St Croix race, the weather forecasts are available. Currently, they are calling for high 85, low 75, with a 50% chance of rain. Of course they are calling for rain. It has rained at every race I have done this year. If it rains, does that make it 100% humidity. At least no one will be telling me, 'but its a dry heat'. I don't really understand the dry heat thing. When it is 104 degrees, I am not dry! I am glad that it will be warm, maybe even hot. I have raced in the cold two times already this year and will probably experience cold weather in Leadville. I had blue lips at the finish line of both the races and lets face it blue is not an attractive lip color. If it were, L'Oreal would be making long lasting blue lipstick.  I prefer the heat and will be basking in the oppression of it the whole way. Mostly it is for vanity reasons that I like the heat, I look more tan when I am flushed and not blue. Don't be mistaken, I am not saying that I look good at the finish in the heat. I am not a woman who glows, or even perspires, I SWEAT. This is not an attractive feature but it sure comes in handy on race day. My body is very good at cooling itself, and everyone within a 2 metre radius as the water pours out of my pores. Just in case my body has forgotten how to cool itself and handle the heat I have been reminding it. I have been wearing extra layers out on all my bikes and runs. Luckily for me, Mr Do It Yourself built us a steam shower/room a few years ago. I have been using that, too bad my bike and trainer don't fit. A serious triathlete, would have been jogging in place in there, me, I just sat. I promise NO matter what happens on race day, I vow, I will not complain about the heat. My date with the Beast promises to be hot and steamy, the best kind:)

KISS, KISS

Please excuse the lack of posts lately readers, I have experienced technical difficulties. Luckily, not with my bike, no that went back together beautifully. There weren't even any parts left out! I didn't want to gloat too early, but I have ridden it several times and I haven't heard anything fall off - successful mission! The technical difficulties occurred the other night when I was trying to post a blog of my 'super exciting' taper activities. The computer couldn't handle the excitement and sputtered and belched to a standstill. Couldn't have happened at a more appropriate time. You see, I have been asked this week by several people if I have and use certain training tools.

My cousin emailed me asking if I have a Garmin GPS. She knows someone who has one who posts their workout information on facebook and wondered if I used one. Firstly, let me just say, if I posted my workout information I would have to censor it. Really, I would. I told Corky I broke his record on Palomar last week, my workout data would let him know that maybe I didn't! I actually had a first generation Garmin GPS. I thought it would be great to let me know how far my run routes were and what pace I was going. I used it in the beginning, but then I knew how far all my routes were. I also got annoyed when it couldn't find a satellite to read off of. Lets face it, what it is the point of a tool if it doesn't work? Most importantly, I don't need a computer to tell me what my minute per mile pace is. If the dog doesn't need to break her trot to keep up, I am going slow. If I can get her to lope, I am going better. She is more reliable than a satellite, except when there is a rabbit or horse around, then her wires get crossed.

Jen just got a fancy VO2 max, lactic threshold test done. She sent me the numbers, psychological warfare perhaps? I have never had this fancy test done, because frankly, I won't use the numbers. I tried to use a heart rate monitor for a long time. I even raced with it a few times. When it read a heart rate of 130 in an ironman, standing still at the start, it freaked me out.  So, I don't use one now and all the people around me in a race should be grateful. I know I would be grateful if the dude running next to me with his heart rate monitor beeping constantly had left his at home. At least I admit that I am not going to listen to the parameters, why do they insist on setting it, wearing it and then ignoring it the whole time??

Yesterday, my friend Jess was shocked to learn that I don't have a bike computer. People use these to tell them their speed, average mph pace, distance, cadence. The fancier ones can tell you the temperature, the grade of the hill you are climbing. Some can be downloaded to a computer for you to analyze the data post ride (assuming your computer is working!) There are even bike computers that are power meters. They can give you a reading of what power you are putting to the pedals. All these devices leave the door open for operator error, and by that I mean I can totally screw it all up. I had a brief affair with a power meter. I had to let him go as he was way too unreliable for me. He was recalled to the factory for imperfections when I needed him the most. I need a reliable indicator so he got the boot. Instead of all these machines telling me what I am doing I listen to the main machine. If I am pedalling fast I know it. If I am getting passed by a grandma on a beach cruiser, I know I am not breaking 12mph. If I don't have any pressure on my pedals, I know I am not putting out much power. I also, can tell if I am hot or cold without a thermometer, although I do ask sometimes for confirmation.

The last bit of technology that I strip away when I race is my watch. I don't want to look at my splits when I am out there. I might start crying when the my grandiose illusions of my super speed are shattered. I can wait until the finish line for the clock to put me in my place. Mostly, I leave the watch off because if I can go faster I will. I get too distracted by pushing buttons and doing math calculations when I should be focusing on moving my legs faster. In the past when wearing a watch I have been known to slow down because I think I am going too fast. Kinda negates the purpose a bit wouldn't you agree.

I know that all these gadgets and gizmos work really well for others. I am not saying everyone should toss them aside but I know for me they are more of a distraction than a help. Maybe, one day I will change my mind, but not until these things are all fool proof. You the reader will benefit from my lack of numbers and graphs when I post race reports. Instead of hearing about how I didn't set, start or stop my gadget at the right time, you will be immersed in my scenery and people observations. For now, the best method for me is to Keep It Simple Stupid. KISS, KISS!

Benchmarks

I have a half ironman in 12 days. 12 DAYS, wasn't it just 12 weeks away! Wow, it is true what they say about time moving faster as you get older. Doing a race is like taking a test. It is the final exam to see if you prepared correctly. You can't cram for a race though, and that was my study method of choice for most exams. During the final few weeks before a race I get asked if I am ready by people who know that I am entered in a race. Maybe, they are asking because they know my history. They must know that I have shown up severely under prepared and failed miserably.(hey supercrew, remember Wildflower 1998?) It really is just like school. You skip lectures and labs and no matter how many notes you borrow from others, you are screwed! Nothing like a set course and a clock to let you know that you don't measure up. Over the last 10 years I have developed a few mock exams to measure my chance of passing the final. Most of the marks that I am aiming at are 10 years old, which means I was 10 years younger. From the benchmarks sessions I have had lately, it seems that I am as prepared as I can be. I won't set any course records, or even personal records. I do know that I have been enjoying my training and having lots of fun. That is the gold standard for me:)

Listening

Listening is an active and indispensable part of communication. I admit, that it is often the point of breakdown in communication between my mind and body. I have been trying very hard the last few years to listen to what my body has to say, but I still find my opinionated mind not willing to listen. Even when it does pretend to listen, does it really hear, understand and make the appropriate judgement?

It is not all my mind's fault. My body is not always very direct and easy to understand. It has been known to ramble around and not really get to a point- if there even is a point. Perhaps, if instead of intermittent nagging about my shoulder in February it had made a more concise point, I might have not taken four weeks to admit I had an injury. My mind is not all at fault for shutting down and ignoring the nagging, ask any husband, it is a necessary life skill!

Understanding what the body is trying to convey is even more difficult. In therapeutic communication we are taught to paraphrase back what we have heard in order to verify comprehension. Last week, my body was telling my mind it was tired. Super tired was more like it. It was sleeping up to 10 hours a night and insisting on cat naps during the day. I felt sleepy all the time, well almost all the time. I felt fabulous during my workouts. When I was moving I was great, as soon as I stopped I was wiped out. This presented my mind quite the conundrum. Was my body saying, keep moving never stop? Or, sleep all the time? My mind deduced that the body couldn't be too tired if it felt great during workouts but needed it rests none the less. I decided to kill two birds with one stone and sleep while moving. But not while driving, never while driving!

When all is said and done, the mind reserves the right to final judgement. I am not saying that my mind always gets it right when it over rides my body. If it did, I wouldn't need to work on my listening skills! There are times when the mind has to tell the body to shut up and suck it up and there are times when the body needs to SCREAM in order to be heard.

'Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear and you will realize the unity of all things.' -Dogen 1200-1253  (if the voice inside of you is telling you that you are God and you should take off your clothes and run down the freeway, don't listen to that voice!)

Palomar Mountain

Sometimes, just like the bear, we go over the mountain to see what we can see. Yesterday, was such a day on Palomar mountain. This is the local mountain climb. It has an elevation gain of 4325ft over 12.8 miles with an average grade of 7.0% (whatever that means, to me it means hard). There are a total of 21 switchbacks on the climb, really only 21 - seemed like way more to me! It was a fabulous day for the ride, great weather and beautiful views.

Proof we made it to the top

South Grade Road - this is the road we went up

Views toward Lake Henshaw on way down

The Cal Trans worker who didn't call us SLOW

Beautiful day, great company and we conquered the mountain, or as Edmund Hillary said, 'it's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves'. 

Hello

I'd like to introduce you to my mascot for this year. She will be with me during my races and will make her debut appearance in two and a half weeks on the beast.  People have a mascot or talisman with magical powers to bring them luck. My mascot is more of a message. She is to remind me what not to be. The going is going to get tough and rough. I am going to want to whine and cry. I am going to have some melt downs. When I look down, she will be there reminding me what I am now vowing to not be. Please say Hello.....

and if you see me crumbling, please remind me to not be a pussy!

Humpty Dumpty

Right now my triathlon bike resembles humpty dumpty, after he fell off the wall. Luckily, he didn't fall, unluckily I took him apart. Come to think of it, he might have been better off falling! I am not a fan of doing puzzles, nor am I known for my limitless patience. It is not the first time that I have done this, but the way I am cursing it might be the last. Why, oh why would I do this? You see, my husband is Mr Do It Yourself and is known for his limitless patience. He tells me that bike mechanics are not brain surgeons (although I am sure they could be if they wanted to), and that if I can work a machine that controls a persons vital organs, I should be able to do my own bike work. Should, being the key word there. Yes, I know it is in my best interest that I know how my bicycle works. Really though, if it breaks down in a race, am I going to have the tools and equipment to recable it?? Doubtful!

this is not my bike, this bike is rideable right now!

Today is day two of overhauling the Kestrel. I managed to get the headset taken apart, cleaned and packed the bearings in new grease, and even more impressive, put back together. The front end is able to turn. Confession, I called my husband on the phone from the garage and he came out and helped me put it back together. Next I (read, we) tackled the derailleur cables and cable casings. I love my bike, why else would I still be riding it after 10 years. It is a great bike most of the time. I don't love my bike when I am recabling it. The sleek frame has the cables internally routed through the frame. Great idea, except there is no internal routing system. Basically, you put the cable in one end of the down tube and poke it around hoping it will come out the correct hole at the other end. This is where my potty mouth is in full use. We turn the bike upside down and sideways. We shine a flashlight into the out hole and we poke and poke. I have asked expert bike mechanics how to make it simpler but I guess like a brain surgeon won't tell me how to clip my own aneurysm, they aren't about to give away their secrets! We got the front derailleur done and then I went to book club. When I got home, to my surprise the bike fairies had not been here. My bike wasn't all clean, sparkly and ready to race. I could use some of Cinderellas mice around here! I have a ball to attend in less than 3 weeks and my mount is not going to do me any good until I get him put back together again! Lets hope I can do a better job than all the kings horses and all the kings men.

Runs In The Family

I haven't always been a runner. Nope, wasn't on the track or cross country team. Didn't receive an athletic scholarship, shocking I know! I wish I could say I took up jogging (if you could even call it that) for pure, healthy reasons. Not so. I took it up because I had a freshman 30 to fight and it was a more realistic solution than giving up the booze and late night pizzas. I knew how to go about running for exercise, because my dad had always been a runner. I had grown up seeing him go out for runs. I had occasionally ridden my hot two wheeled, banana seated bike next to him. I might have even told him to 'go faster' a few times. Therefore, shuffling was where I started out.

I eventually became a runner. I experienced the runners high, I ran for fun and I even entered a few races. My dad had continued to run off and on. In 1997 we decided to run a half marathon together. He had never run that distance and I had done a few marathons. Dad trained hard, I did not. I figured I would be able to match his pace and do just fine. I was wrong. I got my butt kicked in the last half mile. My dad beat me to the line of the Vancouver Half Marathon. He likes to kick hard at the end and has good sprint speed, plus I had supplied him with some jet fuel (aka GU). He hasn't let me forget it, he also hasn't done another race with me. I have not had the opportunity to even the score.

My mom took up running five years ago. Mom was always fit and could walk forever but had not done any running as an adult. She is a natural runner and loves doing it. This weekend, my parents did a 10km run. Mom trained for it and dad did not (you think he would have learned from my mistakes).  He hasn't been running much the last few years as he has had a few injuries. Sunday mom chicked dad and beat him to the line. Dad turned on his afterburners and sprinted at the finish but he tripped and fell and is now sporting a couple of black eyes and a torn hamstring. I guess when mom tells people she beat him on Sunday, she should clarify that statement. I know it wasn't me, but at least one female in the family has beaten the lifelong runner. Now, just make sure you never enter the same race as dad again mom. Oh, and when dad is mended and back to running, remember to pick up the pace over the last few miles to take something out of that kick he has!

 Mom, Dad and me on a run

Retirement

Today is bittersweet. My new mountain bike shoes arrived, very exciting, but also sad because this means I need to retire my current shoes. It is time. They have done their job for close to 10 years. I have been using shoe glue to keep them going for over a year now. No amount of shoe glue is going to be able to save them. The tread that is left on the bottom is barely hanging on and the rest of the tread is on trails all over the west. Oh the places these shoes have taken me!

These were my first pair of mountain biking shoes. Making the ones that arrived today, my second pair. The first time I clipped in on a mountain bike was in these shoes.(for those of you that don't know, you have a cleat on the bottom of the shoe that attaches to the pedal, kinda like a binding).  Now that I realize that, I might be happy that I am putting them to rest. After all, clipping in on a mountain bike wasn't too successful for a long time. I didn't come home from a ride without another huge bruise or scar somewhere. Most of the time, I fell over because I couldn't get unclipped fast enough. (had nothing to do with my rudimentary skills and idiotic attempts to ride trails way beyond my level) I am not sure why it took me so long to master unclipping my foot on the mountain bike. I do know that I was laying on a trail still clipped in many times and had to remove the shoe from my foot in order to get up,  I couldn't get the shoe to unclip from the pedal. Boy, when I think about that, I realize that I have gotten better. I couldn't have gotten any worse.

These shoes were very comfortable. So comfortable in fact, that I ran almost 18 miles in them in my first Xterra triathlon. No, I didn't forget my running shoes. No, I didn't forget to take my bike shoes off for the run. The 18 miles was the biking leg of the race and I ran most of it pushing my bike. Yes, I was once again in way over my head! It was faster for me to run with the bike up and even down most of the hills than it was for me to ride the bike. Plus, there was that whole clipping in and out problem. No, I don't plan to run almost 100 miles pushing my bike in August at Leadville. I think that I will be able to ride at least 50 of it;)

I have done and won a 24 hour mountain biking race sporting these shoes. Yes, our team won. We were totally awesome and rocked it. Okay, we were the only team in our division. I think that all the veteran women saw our names and decided not to show up:)  But hey, a win is a win is a win!

Every great mountain bike trail and trip I have been on, these shoes have accompanied me. They have helped me climb up slick rock to check out views in Moab (the spikes on the toes were very helpful for that). We crossed logs and bridges in Whistler without losing traction. In Sedona we managed to avoid falling down when walking down Chicken rock. We made it up Heartbreak hill and down the Plunge in Maui. Oh the places we played!

Slickrock Trail in Moab

I now will limit these shoes to indoor spin classes and begin the arduous process of breaking in the new ones. Being a girl, I can't help but be excited about a new pair of shoes. They are going to look great with my bike. Yes, of course they match my bike! They might not be a new pair of Manolo Blahniks but if Carrie Bradshaw was a mountain biker, she would be so stoked for these Sidis!

Great things are going to happen with my new shoes. Hey, Leadville Trail 100-  These shoes are made for riding, and thats just what we'll do, one of these days we're gonna ride all over you!

Sunset Run

'Know what you want to do,hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal' - Elbert Hubbard 

Deep Ruts Ahead

The winter rains bring lush green scenery, wildflowers and deep ruts to our mountain biking trails. Today all three were present, including a few maraca playing snakes! Throughout the ride we came across several signs warning 'Deep Ruts Ahead'. I would have stopped to take a photo but they were always at the top of glorious, fun, swooping downhill sections and I was enjoying myself way too much! I also had to keep up to my riding partner and she is a downhill diva. I don't think it was a coincidence that I was being warned of ruts today. Earlier this week, I consciously decided that I needed to start varying my running routes, even if it meant running my loops in opposite directions. The dog also has been deviating from her regular walking routes. I think we both had been lulled into just riding the rut to the bottom for long enough.

I noticed while trying to avoid being caught (literally) in a rut today, that it does take a little more effort to avoid a rut than to just let the wheel follow it to the bottom. I felt much more rewarded however, when I was able to float my front wheel over a deep groove and celebrated when I bunny hopped the entire divide! Forgive me for boasting The Todd, but I even bounded over a snake today! My skills they are a coming:) 

This hillside is brown most of the year

Of course at the end of our ride when we were patting ourselves on the back for how awesome we are, our egos were promptly deflated by a show boating, wheelie expert coming down the last hill and into the parking lot. I might have said this before, but it would have been handy to have been a 12 year old boy! I put aside all pride however and begged for a beginners demo, which he obliged us with - probably helped that my riding partner is a hottie!

Downhill Diva

Mission accomplished today, all deep ruts were avoided. I will continue to circumvent the ruts because as American novelist Ellen Glasgow stated 'the only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions'. 

Torture

Lately, there has been controversy regarding imposing torturous practices on people in captivity. At the same time the practice of self torture seems to provide a very large market for profit. For example, think up the most heinously difficult endurance event imaginable. Now call it a race, set an entry fee and watch the masochists line up! The more abominable and dangerous the event, the longer the line. The extreme sadists will even dole out more dough to go to a camp when the event has reached it maximum capacity of lunatics! (not that I would know anything about that!!)

Now that the self torturers are training for an event, they are going to need to partake in daily pain threshold exercises. This is where the torture merchandise is crucial. There is no limit on what will and be done to ones body in an attempt to be able to go longer, harder and more often! I'd like to introduce you to a few of the torture devices that are found in my living room - aka my hurt locker.

My Personal Arsenal 

The Foam Roller- (big white thing) Contrary to what my three year old neighbors believe, this is not a FUN toy! Some of the many purposes of this rather benign looking piece of foam are, self-myofascial release, self massage, and stretching. All this sounds pleasant enough, until you have myofascia that needs releasing! I dare you to roll this sucker over a tight iliotibial band (ITB) and you will be begging for mercy.

The Stick- (yellow handles with rollers) This little instrument of pleasure is for improving recovery, extending endurance, improving strength and flexibility and reducing muscle soreness. That is all true after you spend time kneading tight, sore, overworked muscles with it. Even the muscles know at some point to wave the white flag and let the stick win. Pretty sure this is the stick referred to in 'speak softly and carry a big stick'.

Trigger Point ball- (green, black and white striped ball) The ball is to manage minor aches and pain by applying pressure to general areas. Well, I can tell you that all pain seems minor after applying ample amount of pressure for the recommended 5-7 seconds to my piriformis (otherwise known as butt). This piece of equipment often makes me wish someone would pull the trigger and put me out of my misery!

Golf Ball -(white round ball;)) When the TP ball just isn't firm enough, or available there is always the Titleist to get me screaming uncle. Luckily, we always have one of these wherever we are. One of the perks of being married to a golf professional.

Foot Roller -(wooden, ribbed thingamajig) This gadget is to relieve tension in the feet, improve circulation,  and stimulate the immune system. I am not able to verify that it stimulates the immune system. I can bear witness to the fact that after many a long run, it has stimulated my profanity!

Compex -(blue box with electrodes sticking out of it) Just in case any of the above instruments of pain aren't enough, I can hook myself up voluntarily to a box that sends jolts of electrical current through my muscles. After a session of this, I am sure I will exhibit courage under fire.

I can't speak for others who use these contraptions but I have a good explanation for the hours I spend on them. You may remember that I currently don't have a job. What you don't know is that as a kid I dreamed of being a spy. I may or may not have spent too much time reading Harriett the Spy. I do know this, I may need another career in the future and espionage would be a more lucrative way to experience pain and suffering than racing 100 miles in the mountains of Colorado!

Lies and Falsities

I've been racing (I use the term racing rather loosely) for quite a long time now. Long enough that I think I have heard the whole gamut of lies and falsities that spectators spread. I know that they are trying to be encouraging and helpful but really, who do they think they are kidding? As they say, I was born at night, but not last night.

The most popular lie is 'looking good'. As FDR said 'repetition does not transform a lie into truth'. but they sure do try. This little white lie is said all day long. Do they not think I will get the post race pictures? If I don't already know how hideous my appearance is, the pictures will enlighten me. I would have to be pretty much unconscious to believe that I look good. After all, I have been sweating profusely with salt caked on me, snotted on myself, conceivably peed myself, and spilled various beverages down the front of me for hours. Not to mention the matted mess that my hair has become and the fact that my morning lipstick has surely worn off.  Pretty sure I have never seen a model on the cover of Vogue looking that good!

If said spectator tires of the go to line of looking good, they pursue the 'almost there' lie. This particular dandy can be used at any point in a race. I have heard this line when I am merely halfway through the bike of an ironman. The spectator guide must have forgotten to mention that there is a measly marathon tacked on to the end of this event! To the guy in the lawn chair on the side of the road with a cooler of beer, it may seem like the racers are almost there when they have ONLY 6 more miles to run of 26. I am here to tell you that those first 20 are the easy miles and the last 6 make the rest of the day seem like couch surfing. There is no way we are almost there, we are just entering the deep, dark nasty place. 

Stationed on a hill provides a whole new playlist. 'The top is just up there', 'the steep part is over' and my all time favorite 'this is the last hill'. The last hill, I am on my first of two loops! Nothing looks hard and steep and long when you are watching.

An honest spectator would tell me I look like crap, am moving slow, am at the bottom of the hill, and have a long ass way to go. Now that I say that, I am not sure that would be any better. For now I will stick to the fantasies that I look good, am almost there and am at the top of the last hill. So dear spectators of mine 'tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies'!

I totally rode my bike up this hill, I just bunny hopped the gate;)

Drug of Choice

Everyone has a vice. Mine happens to be LSD. Not sure how this happened but it might have something to do with being a late 60's baby. It is just in my blood.  I love the altered level of being that it produces in me. I can be in a terrible mood and I take a hit and I am overflowing with happiness. The physical side effects aren't as wonderful as the mental ones. Sure, its okay that my heart rate gets elevated and my pupils dilate, but the altered mental state has me hooked. Midway through a trip, I begin to believe that I can do anything, conquer anything. Some medical experts would refer to these thoughts as grandiose delusions, I prefer to think of them as glimpses of possibilities. I love the heightened senses, sunsets sound symphonic and birds chirping look kaleidoscopic.

Just listen to this sunset

Now, don't get me wrong it is not all wonderful. I do experience occasional flashbacks. These usually occur at night and my husband takes the brunt of it. My flashbacks involve wild kicking of my legs and thrashing about.  In my research I have read that LSD is not addictive. I have to say, I disagree. I often display compulsive seeking behavior if it has been too long since I have had Long Slow Distance on my workout schedule.

Rest

I lied yesterday when I said I didn't have a coach. I have a rest and recovery coach. Here is a sampling of her super secret methods.

Secret recovery

Active Recovery

Deep recovery 

Lesson learned from the master 'sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest'. Sleep well readers:-)